Klay Thompson, visibly irritated by the subject, sternly told ESPN, “Man, I don’t care about that.” […] (Stephen) Curry simply said, “I’m just going to keep it quiet.” He then shook his head and giggled.

“I’m a basketball player, bro. I’m a basketball player,” (Kevin) Durant told ESPN. “If you’ve got any disputes or any feuds or anything with anybody that plays the game, let’s just check it up. That really don’t mean s— to me, all the jokes.”

Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals is a tight one as we approach halftime. And while much of the storylines heading in surrounded the big names like LeBron James and Draymond Green, the man who provided the most emphatic moment of the first half was none other than reserve PG Shaun Livingston.

Watch as Livingston hammers home a dunk right in Richard Jefferson’s face.

]]>http://www.slamonline.com/nba/shaun-livingston-dunks-richard-jefferson-video/feed/0SLAMonlineWarriors Take Out Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA Finals (VIDEO)http://www.slamonline.com/media/slam-tv/warriors-take-out-cleveland-in-game-1-of-the-nba-finals-video/
http://www.slamonline.com/media/slam-tv/warriors-take-out-cleveland-in-game-1-of-the-nba-finals-video/#respondFri, 03 Jun 2016 14:15:47 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/?p=399769

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were held in check, and the Golden State Warriors still blew out the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89 Thursday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Draymond Green had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, Shaun Livingston scored a personal postseason best of 20 and Golden State’s bench came up big as the Warriors beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89 on Thursday night to move three wins from a repeat title.

The Splash Brothers? They totaled — gasp! — 20 points on 8-for-27 shooting, each knocking down a late 3-pointer. […] “You don’t win championships without the entire squad coming in and making an impact on games,” Curry said. “That’s why we’re here.”

“When you get outscored 45-10 on the bench and give up 25 points off 17 turnovers, no matter what someone does or doesn’t do, it’s going to be hard to win, especially on the road,” James said. “Don’t matter what you do with Steph and Klay, don’t matter what you do with Draymond.” […] In a series with so much star power on both sides, this was a night for Livingston and fellow reserves Leandro Barbosa and Andre Iguodala. Barbosa returned from a minor back injury to shoot 5 for 5 on the way to 11 points, while 2015 finals MVP Iguodala had 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and some stingy defense on James.

(Stephen) Curry had described the opportunity to show the team’s resiliency and come back in the series as “fun” after the 108-102 loss. Green recalled the morning after how he expressed a similar sentiment postgame upon seeing the MVP.

“He smiled and said, ‘We ain’t been here before,’ ” Green said Tuesday. “I said, ‘Yeah, I know. I like this. This will be fun.’ Because if you can bounce back from something like this, it makes it all the more sweeter. So I’m relishing this opportunity. This is where you see what you’re really made of. This is where you bounce back and everybody is against you and don’t think you can do it. This is where it gets fun.”

“I was telling the guys when we look at our championship run, any time we talk about it, we talk about being down 2-1 to Memphis, being down 2-1 to Cleveland,” Green said. “We never talk about beating the Pelicans 4-0. We never talk about beating the Rockets 4-1. You talk about the trying times. So right now is one of those times. We’ve never been down 0-1, so this is foreign territory for us. But at the same time we’ve been in positions where we’ve had to battle back before.”

After blowing past Damian Lillard, Shaun Livingston climbed the ladder to drop a one-handed jam. Livingston is doing his best to keep Golden State competitive in Game 3, as Stephen Curry continues to recover from injury.

“We’ve relied on our depth all year, not just when Steph’s out,” Draymond Green said. “I think we’re the deepest team in the NBA.” […] Thompson scored 34 points and dished out five assists and the Warriors held off the Houston Rockets 115-106 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in their playoff series despite no Curry, sidelined because of an injured right ankle.

“Ahh, it’s so much easier without him out there. When Steph’s out there, his man just sags in the paint, he doesn’t move the ball, he’s a very selfish teammate,” cracked Thompson. “I’m just kidding, man, he’s the exact opposite of that. I think we showed it’s hard to fill that void. No one’s going to do it by themselves.”

Andre Iguodala, last year’s Finals MVP, added 18 points with four 3-pointers and Green had 12 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. He didn’t commit a turnover in 39 minutes, his longest stretch without one in the regular season or playoffs. […] Shaun Livingston, who left Sunday’s practice with an illness, had 16 points and six assists playing in Curry’s place.

Livingston sat out the Dubs’ 107-92 road loss to the San Antonio Spurs last night.

From the press release and Contra Costa Times:

Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston has been suspended one game without pay for hitting Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki in the groin, it was announced (Sunday) by Rod Thorn, President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 1:28 remaining in the third quarter of the Warriors’ 123-110 victory over the Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

The foul drew an immediate reaction from Nowitzki, and after the game, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban approached Warriors coach Steve Kerr and associate head coach Alvin Gentry. […] Livingston explained after the game that going below the belt was an accident and not a dirty play.

Since its inception, SLAM has approached the game and those who play it from a fresh, new angle that has kept the magazine and website the number one place for basketball fans for over twenty years. Unfortunately, due to a litany of circumstances, SLAM doesn’t always have the time, writers or space to capture every story we’d like to. Thankfully, publications like Narratively—a platform devoted to untold human stories—exist .

While most publications dedicate their All-Star Week coverage to today’s brightest stars (which SLAM will do as well!), SLAM and Narratively are bringing you four alternative basketball stories from around the globe.

The group of stories debuted this week represent a commitment to reporting and the telling of stories about players past, present, and future. They are narratives not about marketing or hype but about taking readers to courts around the world. It’s about giving readers fresh perspectives–even a group of stories directly from the players themselves. Narratively and SLAM are proud to present Hoop Dreams: Sleepless Nights And Homesick Hearts In The NBA.

Thank you to Ben Osborne and Pete Walsh of SLAM and Noah Rosenberg, Brendan Speigel and Garrett McGrath of Narratively for forming the best five-player lineup and cranking out a winning slate of basketball stories.

Scan the fondest memories of every basketball player in the National Basketball Association and you’ll see variations of the exact same scene: a bright-eyed youngster on a day with not a cloud in the sky, dressed in the latest athletic gear and dribbling a regulation basketball dramatically as the five seconds left on the imaginary shot clock in his head tick away.

Five. He is in perpetual motion, mimicking the moves of his idol player, stopping on a dime in the best sneakers his family could afford, making the rubber on his soles squeak before rising from the asphalt, hardwood or driveway pavement.

Four. He rises, almost in slow motion, powered by as much throttle as he can muster from his tiny calves and quads.

Three. He cradles the ball into his shooting hand and then launches a jump shot over the outstretched arms of his imaginary defender. The ball spirals from his fingertips in an imperfect arc.

Two. It holds there, an orb of resolute destiny, like a plume of cigarette smoke, before gravity seduces it downward into the cylinder.

One. The ball tickles the net just so, as if a light breeze had awakened it from a deep slumber.

Zero. Swish! It’s good!

The rush of that game-winning shot and the imagined roar of the crowd going wild has fueled the drive and dedication of every kid who’s ever dared to realize his dream of making it to the NBA. The thing about dreams, though, especially if they come true, is that they’re incomplete. Kids think only of the bright side; it never occurs to them that there’s even a remote chance of discontent in the professional athlete experience. But, just as sure as there are pros to being in the pros, there are some downsides to life in the League. Four current players—José Juan Barea, Dante Exum, Brandon Jennings and Shaun Livingston—talk about what they miss most about the simple life and why sometimes it’s a total drag to be a professional athlete in a league where everybody knows your name. These are their stories.

* * *

European Vacation: Brandon Jennings

The pizza in Italy is very different from the pizza found in the United States. That’s one of the first things that Brandon Jennings noticed when he landed in Rome to play professional basketball for the Italian club Lottomatica Virtus Roma back in 2008. There he was, an eager and wiry 19-year-old a long way from the comfortable confines of Compton, CA, intent on proving that his decision to forgo the University of Arizona in favor of turning pro was the right one. Even now, as he’s reestablished himself as a premier point guard in the NBA, helping the woeful Detroit Pistons return to the glory days of Dennis Rodman and Isiah Thomas’ Bad Boys, Jennings, 25, thinks fondly of the wood oven-baked pies that pizzerias made with fresh tomato, basil, mozzarella and pride.

“I really miss the food,” Jennings says, as he’s getting ready for practice. “The authentic Italian food was awesome. I was eager to prove myself and get to the NBA but when I think about it and look back, I really miss that Italian cuisine.”

It was a turbulent time for Jennings. His story was used as a pawn in the media chess game for and against the NBA’s “prep-to-pro” policy, which prevented him from declaring for the draft right after graduating from basketball powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, where he’d averaged 32.7 points, 7.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds a game. According to the league’s policy, which was implemented with the 2006 draft, Jennings had to be at least 19 years old and a year removed from high school graduation to enter the draft. So, instead of a year in college, he opted for a year playing professionally abroad.

“The only thing I missed out on by not going to college was probably the parties,” he says. “I mean, college can’t teach you about real life. I think that’s what I learned when I didn’t go to college. Once you get out of school, that’s when you got bills and life becomes real. The best part of skipping college was the fact of being a professional athlete. I was a professional. I was finally a pro. So that’s where my career started but also being able to take care of my family, I had a shoe deal over in Rome, so the opportunity was something that I couldn’t pass up.”

Had the teenage phenom become a star in the Italian League during his rookie campaign, he’d have been a trailblazer, a shining example for others to follow. But things fell apart. In 27 games, Jennings failed to live up to expectations, averaging a paltry 5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. All of the experts across the pond questioned whether he was skilled enough to warrant the Milwaukee Bucks’ use of their first round (10th overall) draft pick in 2009.

With so much to regret about the way he played that year, it’s surprising to learn that the only thing he laments is not fully digesting European culture.

“I felt like I was at peace when I was overseas,” says Jennings, who has seen his star rise significantly since leaving Italy. “I didn’t have to worry about family members or anybody asking me for anything. I was just living my life. The thing I most regret is not taking advantage of really experiencing and taking in the places that I visited while I was there. Greece, Turkey, Slovenia, all these different places. I wish I would have took it in more and really took advantage of it.”

“It was a routine play, going up for a layup,” Shaun Livingston recalls about the night of February 26, 2007. “I got a steal, picked it up, boom. Going down court, running full speed, going up for a layup on the left-hand side. I go up, right-handed, jump off my left leg. The guy kind of runs past me, Raymond Felton. He didn’t really undercut me, he just kind of ran past me. But as I go up, I kind of lose track of my balance and I jump, and I come down and I still kind of think I’m in the air a little bit. So as I come down, the impact of not having my feet and legs under me, my knee buckled and from there, it snapped and it didn’t come back.

At the time, Livingston was only 20 years old, backing up Sam Cassell as the most dynamic piece of a pre-Lob City Clippers squad, coming off a then-rare post-season appearance the previous spring. Now regarded as one of the NBA’s top backup point guards, it’s easy to forget that the Peoria, IL, native was once a unique, oversized floor general who combined Magic’s passing sensibilities with Penny’s athleticism, brimming with potential future stardom.

“I’m 18, 19, 20, being able to move, get up,” remembers the former prep-to-pros phenom. “I could wake up in the morning and just dunk, straight out of bed. Just go and just hoop, without stretching, without doing anything. And now, my body, I’m 23 and I feel like I’m about 43. Waking up, my knee’s swollen. I’ve got to do all this rehab before practice even starts. I’ve got to do this maintenance routine and it’s still not right.

I’m a step slow, really two or three steps slow, and so I’ve got to adjust my game. That’s what I’m thinking. And so, how can I be effective without playing the same way that I used to play, without playing the way that I’ve always played, which made me who I am? So now I have to kind of re-adjust my identity as a player. Just remembering that struggle, of going in, not having a job at 23 years old, not having a degree to fall back on, it’s like, Man, what’s next? You’re in the dark, trying to find your way out. But it’s just that faith of just working, just grinding your way out. Understanding this is life, worse things can happen to people. It’s like how you deal with it, how you bounce back. That’s what defines your character and who you are as a person.”

After missing the rest of ’06-07 season and the entire ’07-08 campaign to rehab, Livingston eventually signed with Miami, but after seeing action in just four games, he was waived. So he swallowed his pride, went down to the D-League and after a successful stint, was called up by the Thunder.

“I cherish that [D-League] experience because it made me go down and grind it out with guys that are trying to make the team. Going from flying private to flying commercial, carrying your own bags, having roommates in your hotels,” the fourth overall pick in the 2004 Draft explains. “I was like, I’ll do everything, but let me just get my own hotel room. I’ll pay for that.”

Livingston began a professional odyssey, playing for OKC, Washington, Charlotte, Milwaukee and Cleveland, while gradually showing that his refashioned skill set—instead of relying on his diminished explosiveness, his game is now more about taking advantage of size mismatches in the post, a polished mid-range game and enough defensive versatility to guard all three perimeter positions—could make an impact before landing in Brooklyn last season.

After a strong postseason in which he emerged as a key contributor for the Nets, Livingston signed a three-year, $16-million deal with Golden State.

“Bouncing around, team to team, the toughest thing is just moving, building an identity with a team, build some chemistry. You get kind of close with some of your teammates,” says the low-key Livingston. “[But] I could handle this because I’ve been through worse. Again, it’s all about perspective. I’m always thinking about people who have been through worse than me. I’m blessed. I’m in the NBA, playing a sport that I love. I have a job that I love. I get to wake up every morning to do something I love.

“Having that year last year in Brooklyn, it was rewarding for everything that I went through,” adds the 29-year-old veteran, a key member of the red-hot Warriors’ rotation. [Golden State was on a 16-game winning streak when this was written.—Ed.] “I was able to build that into free agency and get an opportunity with Golden State.

“Great players, great organization, team on the rise, team that could contend for a title and then to have a role on this team, to be able to contend, to be back in the spotlight, to be able to compete for a Championship, that’s the ultimate goal. That’s the ultimate storybook ending for my story.”

Aggrey Sam is a SLAM contributor based in Oakland. Follow him on Twitter @cuttyfromthecut.

SLAM brings you up close with Warriors point guard Shaun Livingston as part of the U.S. Army Hardwood Dreamer to Achiever Series. Livingston talks about the lessons he learned while rehabbing his knee injury and how they translate into everyday life.

The Golden State Warriors announced Friday that guard Shaun Livingston will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on the big toe of his right foot. Per the AP:

The Warriors said Friday that Livingston’s toe will be in a splint for the first three weeks of his recovery. The team says the procedure was performed Wednesday by Dr. Richard Ferkel at the Southern California Orthopedic Institute in Van Nuys.

Golden State signed Livingston to a three-year contract worth about $16 million in July. The team says he was diagnosed with a sprained right big toe at the time and his foot was placed in a cast. The Warriors say Livingston was re-evaluated last week and it was determined that surgery was needed.

Given that there are too many perimeter players needing minutes in the Bay Area, restricted free agent guard Jordan Crawford could soon be on the move. The Golden State Warriors are reportedly looking for a sign-and-trade partner for the four-year vet. Per Yahoo!:

“We intend to enter into a player contract with Shaun Livingston once the moratorium period ends,” Warriors general manager Bob Myers said in a calculated comment that is about all the NBA will allow until the deals are allowed to be made official July 10.

The Warriors agreed to a three-year, $16 million deal – with the third year partially guaranteed – for Livingston, a 28-year-old who can play behind point guard Stephen Curry or alongside him. At 6-foot-7, Livingston proved he can defend multiple positions last season in Brooklyn while averaging 8.3 points, 3.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds in a stirring comeback story.

“I love the move,” Curry texted. “He’s a versatile guard, who can fit right in.”

“It’s the fit. Definitely the fit,” Livingston said. “I want to remain competitive and this is the best opportunity. It’s sweet to just be in this opportunity,” he added. “You look at coming into the year, you look at what everyone expected me to do and then you look at the offers and the deal that came in. It’s sweet.”

It was a while ago—2004, come to think of it, since that was Shaun Livingston’s senior year at Peoria (IL) Central—when the phone rang. It was Livingston himself, and he wanted to interview me for a term paper. Something about sportswriting or the like.

I’m from Peoria, too—the mighty Richwoods High School Knights, the school where Livingston started before transferring to Central—and we had a touch of yo-homie going on. It was a nice chat, quick, to the point, the end. Not long after, the spider-armed playmaker was drafted fourth overall by the Clippers in the 2004 NBA Draft. By ’05 you had to be 19 and a year removed from high school to get drafted. But right then it all looked good for the 6-7 guard and McDonald’s game co-MVP.

Then, in 2007, Livingston blew out his left knee in a game against the Bobcats, an injury so gruesome you don’t want to see the YouTube replay even with your hands over your eyes. There was concern that the 21-year-old might never walk properly again. Indeed, briefly there was even fear that he might have to have his lower leg amputated.

But he never gave up hope that he would play again at the elite level. After years of rehab and bouncing from team to team, he finally found a niche with the Nets, starting at off-guard during the team’s recent Playoff run.

Livingston is a free agent as I write this, and he might finally cash in big on his nearly hijacked court talent. I lost track of him during his journey back, but I’d like to talk to him again. I want to know if he got a good grade on that paper from a decade ago. It would mean a lot to me if he did.—Rick Telander

Ready for an understatement? For the major splash the Brooklyn Nets made last summer, things were not going so well at the start of 2014. In fact, they were looking pretty hopeless. The Nets sat at 10-21 on New Year’s Day, with their roster in flux and their first-year coach, Jason Kidd, coming under fire.

On December 20, Brooklyn’s one piece that was consistently producing, Brook Lopez, went down with a foot injury that would end his season. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, the two future Hall of Famers the Nets acquired from Boston in the offseason, were making the Celtics look smart, as both seemed to be past the point of being productive parts of a championship roster. The team’s other All-Stars, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson, were both struggling as well—Williams with the injury issues he’s been dealing with the past few seasons, and Johnson with his normally reliable shooting stroke.

Needless to say, there was some not-so-pleasant noise surrounding a team with a massive payroll and a luxury tax bill that would make the George Steinbrenner-era Yankees blush. To the credit of the Nets’ front office, they didn’t blink. Even with Lopez gone for the season, general manager Billy King and owner Mikhail Prokhorov didn’t make a panic trade, and they didn’t fire Kidd, despite some questionable sideline maneuvers.

But something changed for Brooklyn when the calendar flipped, as they’re 34-15 in 2014 and 44-36 overall, Playoff berth in hand. With no clear-cut option for replacing Lopez at center, Kidd went the other way; on January 2, he slid everyone up a spot and inserted Shaun Livingston, perhaps Brooklyn’s least-heralded addition of the offseason, into the starting lineup on a permanent basis.

While other elements are at play—developing chemistry, other players stepping up in the wake of injuries, Kidd’s improvement as a head coach—Livingston has brought a host of factors, both tangible and intangible, that have fueled the Nets’ resurgence.

“Leadership,” Kidd said, without missing a beat, when asked what Livingston’s greatest contribution to these Nets has been. “His willingness, his IQ and understanding the game.”

Of course, like any good leader, Livingston deflected any credit for Brooklyn’s turnaround.

“As a point guard, they look to you for the plays, they look to you for the calls,” he said. “I’m just trying to help my team win. I think our leaders are spoken for, but as a point guard you’ve got to take some leadership responsibilities on the court.”

Despite being in his 10th season in the NBA, playing for his ninth team, Livingston is still just 28 years old. While young by most people’s standards—including Kidd’s—his teammates view him as one of the veteran voices on a team full of them.

“He’s been in this League a long time. I was playing with him in video games when I was in middle school,” said Mason Plumlee, a rookie who, at 24, is just four years younger than Livingston. “He knows what he’s talking about, and it’s coming from a strong place when he says something.”

Of course, anyone who has followed the game for the past decade knows Livingston’s story. A prodigy drafted by the Clippers straight out of high school in 2004, Livingston was an oversized point guard ready to revolutionize the position. He seemed on the verge of a breakout year in 2006 before a devastating injury disrupted his career, as he suffered a knee injury that read more like a surgeon’s patient list for a full week. Since, he’s bounced around, playing for seven teams between leaving the Clips and landing in Brooklyn. Now, he’s playing for the man he was often compared to when he came into the League, learning along with the first-time coach.

“To learn from somebody who obviously who ran the position for 20 years, the best at what he does, and just the way he sees and thinks the game, it’s helped me tremendously,” Livingston said. “It’s kind of how I’ve approached the game, so we’re thinking along the same lines.”

Those open lines of communication have helped Livingston gain the respect of the entire coaching staff and his teammates, according to Kidd.

“His confidence is still growing, he’s very comfortable with running the system,” Kidd said. “It’s great to have a kid like that to coach.“

After playing for nine coaches from 2008 through 2013, Livingston has seen his fair share of different approaches. As a fellow point guard, he appreciates the way Kidd has handled the team, even through the adversity the team faced early on.

“He challenges you mentally,” Livingston said of his coach. “Other coaches will let you play, but (Kidd) feels the game out and he kind of tries to put players in the position to succeed, just like he did when he was a point guard. Now he’s doing it from the sidelines.”

LIvingston’s contributions haven’t ended with his steadying presence, despite a pedestrian stat line of 8.2 ppg, 3.2 apg and 3.2 rpg. After Brooklyn got off to a miserable start on the defensive end—surprising when you consider the presence of a coach-on-the-floor in Garnett—Brooklyn has locked opponents down to the tune of 103.2 points allowed per 100 possessions since January 1, which would be good for fifth in the NBA over the full season. A lot of that has to do with what Livingston brings. At 6-7 with arms that seemingly stretch from sideline to sideline, Livingston’s presence has turned the Nets into a “long ball” team, as Kidd likes to call them, with the ability to switch readily, point guard through power forward. Livingston is a member of the four most frequent lineups the Nets run out, according to 82games.com, and all of them include three other guys who have played guard or small forward for most of their careers. Even as one of, if not the tallest non-big man in those lineups, it usually falls on Livingston to guard the point of attack.

“To have that kind of length on the ball, it’s really frustrating for point guards who are trying to pass and trying to get their shot off,” said Mason Plumlee. “You look at our game down in Miami (on March 13), he gets his hand on the ball to win the game. He’s made big plays like that all year on defense.”

On offense, too, Livingston has made life easier for everyone, specifically Williams.

“It’s great [having him on the floor], I get to get off the ball. I’m not forced to make plays at all times, having another playmaker out there,” the five-time All Star said.

D-Will cited improved ball movement for the Nets’ offensive surge—they’ve risen from scoring 101.9 points per 100 possessions before January 1 to 106.4 since—and it plays out in the numbers. Their assist-to-turnover ratio has climbed from 1.39 before New Year’s Day to 1.48 in games played since, and they’re averaging nearly an assist more per game as a team. The Nets aren’t shy about crediting Livingston for some of that turnaround.

“With his playmaking ability, he does a great job of using his height advantage against smaller guards,” said Jason Collins.

That reputation as a guy who looks to set his teammates up to score has paid dividends for Livingston, as he’s been able to work that height advantage around the basket. He’s shooting 47.4 percent from 8-16 feet, per NBA.com, using his length and high release to back down and shoot over the point guards who often get stuck guarding him. On a points-per-possession basis, he’s become one of the top post scorers in the Association.

“Once people start playing him for the pass, he’s shown he can hit that little jump shot,” Plumlee said. “He’s making teams pay that are really backing off of him and letting him shoot.”

Even though the team’s ascension lines up with Livingston’s increased role, the self-described “glue guy” hasn’t had a perfect season. After starting a handful of games in place of the injured Williams early on, Livingston was relegated back to bench duty as he hit a personal slump. In the midst of his struggles, the Peoria, IL, native was given a copy of Herman Hesse’s novel Siddhartha, the story of a man’s spiritual journey to enlightenment. While Livingston, with his nomadic NBA career, can certainly relate to the title character’s life as a wanderer, he took away more than just the plot details.

“It was just a learning experience, just getting out of my own head,” said Livingston. “From the mental side of things, you can think too much about your own game instead of just reacting and playing freely, just living. Sometimes, you can’t really enjoy your life experiences if you’re always thinking about them as opposed to just living in the moment.”

As Livingston stays in the moment during this season where he’s truly established himself, becoming so valued that King has said retaining the point guard will be a top priority this coming offseason, the Nets have become a team that will give any opponent a run for their money once the Playoffs start on April 19. And once the postseason starts, Livingston is going to keep doing what he’s done all year.

“I’m excited to be out there with these guys, with the coach” Livingston said, as he’s set to return to the postseason for the first time since 2006. “I’m blessed, coming from what I came from, so whatever they ask of me, I’m willing to do.”

OK, so maybe Shaun Livingston’s feet got tangled up with Andrea Bargnani on a screen … either way, JR Smith’s crossover sent him crashing to the floor and resulted in a flawless air guitar celebration by Tim Hardaway JR.

The Nets are, if nothing else, very good at creating Internet content. They starred in the skit above for charitable, worthy causes (New York Collaborates 4 Autism and Deron Williams’s Point of Hope Foundation.)

A minor shake-up in DC, where the Wizards will release guard Shaun Livingston and power forward Earl Barron to make room for some fresh backcourt assistance. The Washington Post has the initial report: “When the Wizards took on the Orlando Magic at Amway Center last Wednesday, Earl Barron was the starting power forward and Shaun Livingston was the starting point guard. By early Sunday morning, both players were former Wizards. Shortly after losing to the Detroit Pistons, 96-89, on Saturday at Verizon Center – their seventh straight defeat to drop to a franchise-worst 3-22 – the Wizards released Barron and Livingston to open up two roster spots that the team plans to fill with backcourt help, according to league sources.”

After getting cut by the Houston Rockets earlier this season, Shaun Livingston found a new NBA home in DC, as the Wizards inked him to a deal today (and waived Jannero Pargo.) Per the press release: “Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed free agent guard Shaun Livingston. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released. ‘We are obviously familiar with what Shaun brings both on and off the court based on his previous time here and we’re confident that he will be a positive addition to our team,’ said Grunfeld. ‘His size and playmaking ability will give us more flexibility in the backcourt.’ Livingston (6-7, 175) was originally selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft out of Peoria Central High School in Illinois. He appeared in 26 games (18 starts) with the Wizards in 2009-10, averaging 9.2 points, 4.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds. In seven seasons with Los Angeles, Miami, Oklahoma City, Washington, Charlotte and Milwaukee, the 27-year old holds career averages of 6.8 points, 3.5 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per game while shooting .460 from the field and .778 from the line. He has appeared in 12 career playoff games (all with Los Angeles during the 2005-06 campaign), averaging 7.5 points, 4.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds in 27.6 minutes.”

Pretty hilarious story out of Houston, where Jeremy Lin thought he was calling Jeremy Lamb to wish him well now that he’s a member of the OKC Thunder. Only problem was that Lin accidentally called Scott Machado instead, and nearly caused the rookie to have a heart attack. From the Houston Chronicle: “Jeremy Lin thought he was doing the right, veteran thing. He called Scott Machado to say goodbye and good luck. The only problem was that he called the wrong rookie. Machado had been nervously awaiting word on whether he had made the Rockets’ roster. As Lin wished him well, his heart skipped a few beats until he realized he did not need to worry. Lin had thought he called Jeremy Lamb, who had just been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. By Monday, Machado knew made the team when no one called. ‘I was like, ‘Hey, it’s Scott, it’s not Jeremy,’ Machado said of his conversation with Lin. ‘Did you hear something about me?’ I was all nervous. He was like, ‘Oh, I apologize, I apologize.’ It all worked out.’ Machado made the Rockets opening night roster when the Rockets waived veteran guard Shaun Livingston on Monday. Rockets coach Kevin McHale had given Livingston extensive praise and playing time last week, but the Rockets opted to go with Machado and Toney Douglas as backup point guards.”

The Rockets and Bucks made a deal today, sending Samuel Dalembert to Milwaukee. The two teams also swapped draft picks, and some role players. From the Houston Chronicle and Journal Sentinel: “For the second-consecutive day, the Rockets dealt a player from last season’s rotation to strengthen their position moving into Thursday’s draft. The Rockets will send Samuel Dalembert and the 14th pick to the Milwaukee Bucks for the 12th pick and three players, Jon Brockman, Shaun Livingston and Jon Leuer, a person with knowledge of the deal confirmed. The Rockets will have options on the Livingston and Leuer contracts, but do not plan to release either player. After the deal, the Rockets have the 12th, 16th and 18th picks, while working on trades to move into the top 10 and potentially for a franchise player. […] The Rockets are hoping to parlay their three first-round picks into a bigger deal to land an established veteran such as Dwight Howard or Josh Smith, or to move up to grab one of the top prospects in Thursday’s draft.”

It sounds like Shaun Livingston’s in a good place. Via the Journal Times: “In the Bucks’ season-opening loss to Charlotte Monday night, Livingston played 35 minutes and scored 14 points, connecting on 6 of 10 field goals. He also had six assists and four rebounds. Tuesday night, in the Bucks’ home opener against Minnesota, Livingston turned in another quality performance and scored four points. It’s unreasonable to expect Livingston, now 26, to produce at a high level all season. He is, after all, still not fully recovered. He probably never will be. ‘My knee is probably about 80 to 90 percent of what it was before the injury,’ Livingston said. ‘To me, I feel I’ve peaked. I’m at a point now where I don’t feel my leg is going to give out. My leg doesn’t get tired before the rest of my body gets tired now. I just might not be able to move at the same gear that I used to move it, but I feel I can be a good player and contribute a lot.'”

After the Draft-day trade that brought Shaun Livingston, Beno Udrih and Captain Jack to Milwaukee, the Bucks may be overstocked at the point guard position. Last season Brandon Jennings manned the starting spot with Keyon Dooling providing relief, but with the new acquisitions the rotation will likely be Jennings, Udrih and Livingston.

Speculation has begun to surface that Jennings could now be expendable and divvying up playing time among the new guards will be a nightly chore. But Sporting News is reporting that isn’t the case, and according to Coach Skiles, everything’s going to be alright.

“A source told Sporting News, though, that there were no plans in place to trade Jennings, and that seemed to be confirmed Tuesday when the team introduced its two new point guards. Coach Scott Skiles said he would find ways to get playing time for everyone.

‘The way the game is played now, there’s so many opportunities that teams are looking for to put one big man in the game and four versatile guys — four ballhandlers, four shooters, three ballhandlers, three shooters and another big who can shoot and a center. So there’s all kinds of opportunities to get guys into the game and give guys minutes. Beno is a high-level player and there’s no question that there’s going to be times when both of our guards or all three point guards are going to be playing together, no question.’”

Udrih posted very similar numbers to Jennings last season and will challenge him for fourth quarter playing time if Jennings is not playing efficiently. Keyon Dooling may be the odd man out, as the 25-year-old Livingston could snatch most of his minutes away.

Livingston will compete for Charlotte’s starting job. Livingston showed his prowess with the Wizards last April, averaging 15.5 points and 6.3 assists in that month. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer: “The Charlotte Bobcats are close to acquiring Shaun Livingston to help address their hole at point guard, an informed source told the Observer Wednesday.”

And it feels so good. Beating the Clippers, I mean. Yeah. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a locker room so happy after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers before. The Raptors were happy. Happy to snap a three-game home losing streak (including back-to-back 26-point home losses), the Raptors were relieved to get the W and didn’t really care that it wasn’t against a playoff-bound team.

22 point victory against anyone is a good night. Chris Bosh had 34 points and 11 rebounds, Andrea Bargnani had 21 points and Sonny Weems was 8-for-8 from the floor for his 17 points. Weems was awesome and he’s still starting. Who would have thought? You know how I feel about underdogs, rookies and D-League guys and Weems is almost all of these. Having not played last year, he’s a rookie in my mind and he’s been in and out of the D-League and he puts his time in, coming in every night to get extra work in and it’s paid off. THAT makes me happy.

Also: He is starting over Hedo Turkoglu. Who saw that happening? Not this girl.

In Boston: Kevin Garnett had a little tantrum after the game saying, “I thought we were playing Michael (expletive) Jordan the way he was getting the whistle. Durant damn near shot more free throws than our whole team.” this about Kevin Durant who shot and made 15 free throws in the Thunder’s 109-104 road win against the Celtics. KD had 37, Russ West had 21 and 10 assists and Jeff Green added 17. Rondo led the Celtics with 16 points and 11 assists while Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace added 18 points apiece in the loss.

30 points on 11-15 shooting for George Hill in a Spurs 119-102 victory over the Rockets. Rookie DeJuan Blair had 10 points and nine rebounds, five of them offensive, in his 17 minutes of play. That’s pretty awesome.

In Atlanta, the Hawks got the Lakers, blowing them out, 109-92. Losing all four quarters, the Lakers couldn’t contain the Hawks, giving up 54 percent shooting as Atlanta turned the ball over just five times and had seven players in double-figures. Joe Johnson scored 25 points, Maurice Evans had 18 off of the bench and Zaza Pachulia had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double off of the bench as well. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 28 points as Pau Gasol scored 16 points to go with 11 rebounds.

24 points, 14 assists for Steve Nash in a Suns, 116-105 victory over the Nets.

The Bucks were finally stopped as they faced the Cavs and dropped the 101-98 decision. John Salmons had 28 points and seven assists in the loss as Andrew Bogut added 19 points and 12 rebounds and Luke Rudnour had 11 points and assists off of the bench. LeBron Watch: 23 pts, nine rebounds, seven assists. Mo Williams scored 21 points, Antawn Jamison had a 12-point, 12-rebound performance and JJ Hickson added 14 points. Williams clinched the game by hitting four free throws in the final seconds and the Cavs got a boost from the free throw line as they attempted 45 free throws to the Bucks nine. Yes, nine. I didn’t see the game, but please do tell, fair officiating or no?

The Wizards snapped their 16-game losing streak by taking down the Hornets, 96-91. Mike Miller scored a season-high 27 points, Shaun Livingston had 18 points on 8-for-10 field goals and Andray Blatche added 23 points (and hopefully, no whining), in the victory. The Wiz shot 56 percent for the game, while Chris Paul was held to just eight points and nine assists for New Orleans.

ROY-Watch: 20 points, seven boards, 13 assists, three steals. Tyreke Evans, of course. Kings fell to the TWolves, though, 108-99. Jonny Flynn had a great game with 18 points and eight assists for Minnesota in the win to snap their 16-game skid. Darko Milicic had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Al Jefferson added 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Oh yes, the Blazers clinched a playoff spot tonight. I think that’s all I’ve got. The Knicks lost badly. The Pistons lost again. Man, tonight was jam-packed. Mavs in OT. Warriors fell in Utah, again. Only eight players in uniform, again. Who is your favorite non-playoff team to watch? Mine is definitely Golden State. I just love their guys.

I still can’t get over that KG quote. Looking forward to hearing/seeing the clip tomorrow.

It was a great weekend of college ball, wasn’t it? From start to finish, overtimes, fantastic finishes, huge, huge upsets. It was everything college bball should be and then some. And apparently I angered some college fans when I tweeted that as much as I loved college, I was happy to be finishing my night by watching Milwaukee and Denver.

What do you guys think? I love the NCAA, I think the love and passion is some of the purest you’ll ever find. The stories are intriguing and many times amazing, but dammit, sometimes I wanna see guys make their free throws and not wait 27 seconds before tossing up a 3-pointer. I’m half-kidding and I do thoroughly enjoy watching NCAA, it’s just that for me, the NBA is better basketball.

And it’s the basketball that I love. Like that Milwaukee/Denver game mentioned above? The Bucks won. On the second night of a back-to-back after winning in double-OT against the Kings. They are rolling and it’s really fun to watch. In Sacramento, Brandon Jennings won the rookie battle, scoring 35 points and hitting a career-high eight 3-pointers while Tyreke Evans took an elbow to the face and suffered a bruised jaw and chipped teeth. As a result he’s out of action right now, so sending some quick get well soon thoughts his way.

After the Thunder throttled the Raptors on Friday night, they went into Indiana, watched the Jay-Z concert on Saturday night and then came out on Sunday and lost by 20 to the Pacers. Eeep. I flipped over, expecting to see OKC dominating and instead, I got the exact opposite. I wasn’t impressed.

In Atlanta, the Hawks took down the Spurs, 119-114 in overtime and clinched a playoff berth along the way. Al Horford was phenomenal for Atlanta, coming out on top in a battle with Tim Duncan. Horford finished with 22 points and 18 rebounds while Duncan had 29 points and 13 rebounds. The Hawks outrebounded San Antonio by 10 and overcame a 38-point effort from Manu Ginobili. Joe Johnson scored 20 points but also added 13 assists for ATL and after missing two shots to win it in overtime, he hit the jumper to give the Hawks the lead for good in the extra session.

When the Hawks were here last week, we were all raving about how good Horford was in the fourth quarter. That was on display last night as he went against Duncan for everyone to see.

LeBron watch: 15/3/7. That doesn’t feel right, but it is. Bron only played 30 minutes because this one was a laugher with the Cavs winning big against the Pistons, 104-79. While Bron and Delonte West had 15 points apiece, Leon Powe led the way offensively with 16 points off of the bench. You know I loved typing that. Boston fans, I bet you miss him. Wish he had gotten to stay with your team, but happy he’s found a new home.

Speaking of new homes: Shaun Livingston being signed by the Wizards for the rest of the season. Against the Lakers last night, he had a baseline slam to celebrate. That was awesome. While the Lakers won, 99-92, they had a sloppy, sloppy fourth getting outscored 32-17 after holding a 28-point lead in the third quarter. Pau Gasol had 28 and 12 for LA.

The Kings were able to get the 102-89 victory over the Clippers without Tyreke Evans as Beno Udrih had a career-high 17 assists to go with 20 points as Sacramento had 32 assists on 42 made field goals. On the flipside, the Clippers had 17 asissts and 17 turnovers.

In Phoenix, the Suns were able to outlast the Blazers in a 93-87 win that went down to the wire with Steve Nash clinching things at the free throw line. While Amare finished with 18 points and 14 boards, Nash added 17 and Jason Richardson had 16 and the Suns won a gritty one where neither team shot better than 38 percent.

In a 116-112 loss to the Rockets, David Lee poured in 27 points, 20 rebounds, six assists and two blocked shots for the Knicks. He’s good. Too good to be on a team that’s all over the place. Wherever he ends up next season, I hope it’s a better fit than this. Kevin Martin had 28 points for the Rockets as Chase Budinger scored 18 and Aaron Brooks added 16. Toney Douglas scored 25 points for the Knicks, hitting six 3-pointers, but a career-high 13 points from former Knicks rookie Jordan Hill and charges taken by former Knick Jared Jeffries sealed the deal for the Rockets.

One more thing about this one: Shane Battier left the game with a hyperextended knee. Well wishes being sent to Mr. Battier!

Hope you saw lots of bball over the weekend. I also hope you’re ready to dive into the NBA until Friday when the madness hits again.

A week, two NBA arenas, lots of beaches, drinks and beautiful sunsets later and I am back in Toronto and am pulling hard to try and keep my eyes open as I write this. We were supposed to have today off since the Raptors had played a back-to-back before flying in to Toronto, but after going 0-4 on the trip a practice was called and my catch-up from red eye day turned into a work day.

I’m such a rookie vacationer, I don’t know how to not get jetlagged.

I’m just happy we had great games last night. After not watching much of anything NBA for the whole week -seriously, crazy, right?– it was so nice to sit in front of the TV and take in some bball goodness. I kinda thought ESPN was going to have two blowouts on their hands, but the Warriors/Lakers game turned out to be a great nightcap. While the Lakers won 124-121, the Warriors fought them the whole way through as Steph Curry missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds. After Monta Ellis grabbed the loose offensive board and tossed up a three at the buzzer, the ball bounced three times before finally refusing to go through the hoop and the Lakers exhaled.

Kobe Bryant exhaled after escaping a missed free throw in crunch time and nine turnovers in the game. Oh yeah, a rookie named Steph Curry hanging with him, too. Yes, I’m not kidding. Kobe finished with 29 points on 9-18 fgs, with three rebounds, four assists and nine turnovers. Curry finished with 29 points on 11-19 fgs to go with five rebounds, nine assists and didn’t turn the ball over in his 33 minutes. Pretty sweet line for the kid. I really wanted him to hit that three and take the game to overtime. He’s just so much fun to watch.

Of course, it’s nuts how easily the Lakers scored in the fourth when they wanted to. I’m just happy I saw a Kobe game winner at STAPLES and then Steph drop 35 in Oracle three nights later. Made watching both of those teams a little extra fun for me. All of that craziness in the game and the Lakers won by three despite winning the battle on the boards, 56-25.

Now, the first game in ESPN’s doubleheader didn’t turn out so well for those tuning in as the Celtics manhandled the Pistons, 119-93. Leading by 16 at the end of the first quarter, Boston had already blown the game open at the half thanks to a 64-35 advantage as the second half was more of a formality than anything. Michael Finley led the C’s in scoring with 15 points off of the bench as seven Boston players reached double figures. Will Bynum led the Pistons with 16 points and seven assists.

The season just seems to get tougher for the Pistons. They lost Tayshaun Prince in the first half when he came down on Maxiell’s knee, injuring that problematic back of his. With the injuries and then their offseason signings not really making the splash they had hoped, I feel for Detroit fans.

In Houston, I flipped at the half when the Rockets were leading 68- 57. Fast forward to the fourth and the Nuggets were back in front, setting up a crazy finish that ended with Aaron Brooks nailing a game-winning jumper and the Rockets getting the 125-123 victory. Melo was phenomenal in the loss, finishing with 45 points and 10 rebounds as the Nuggets had six players reach double figures. Let me tell you, a girl goes away for a week and comes back to Johan Petro putting up 11 points and 10 boards. Wasn’t expecting that one.

Aaron Brooks had 31 points on 11-17 shooting to go with nine assists to lead the Rockets to their 34th victory of the season. Kevin Martin added 29 points and Luis Scola had 23 points and 11 boards as Houston shot 57 percent for the game and hit 12 more free throws.

Okay, be patient with me as I ease back into East Coast life today. I’ve got a million more things to tell you about LA and STAPLES and Oracle, just need some time to get my thoughts and photos sorted. My camera broke on the night of day two, so thank goodness for Blackberry cameras and generous friends.

Also, I leave you with this bit of happy news: Shaun Livingston got the start for the Wizards last night. Yeah, it was a loss and he didn’t post a great line, but he got the start after his 18-point, eight assist night over the weekend. Yay to that.

Well, gonna deviate from standard form a bit here today. I took a complete night off from the NBA. Almost. The Raptors had their Red Party last night, which is a fundraiser for the MLSE’s Team Up foundation. I went not as media but as a guest and had a wonderful time. The surprise of the night came when we found out that Drake had been flown in to perform for the crowd of 800.

It was pretty great. Having him home in Toronto, performing for such an intimate group of people, repping the Raptors, it was lovely. Lovely because it made me think –as always– how thankful I am to get to do something I truly love with every ounce of my heart. Lovely because, I can only imagine how much of a whirlwind these past two years have been for Drake and how he is living his dream. Sure, his may involve lots of money, cars, clothes and “stuff” but at the core, he’s living out the life he wanted for himself. I feel like I’m beginning to scratch the surface of my dreams, and while I’m still wanting to work, work, work for more, I’m living it. And, loving it.

It was a great night.

Now, apparently, the Warriors did not have a great night. Neither did the Thunder. Both of these nuggets of info kind of upset me. Orlando smoked Golden State, 117-90 as Dwight finished with 28 points 12 rebounds and two of each: steals/blocks/assists. The Magic killed GS on the boards, 58-29. Um, yeah. Can you think of a game this season where another team has dominated on the glass so much?

By the look of these boxscores there were a whole bunch of blowouts. A whole bunch of games, too, but that’s beside the point. Seriously, how did OKC lose to Denver so badly. I know, second night of a back-to-back, but damn, 119-90. That’s tough. They ran all over them.

After the Nets managed just 15 points in the first quarter, they allowed the Cavs to lead by 20 after the opening 12 minutes and were never able to recover. LeBron finished with 26 points, 14 assists, seven boards, three steals and a block. Not too shabby. His guy JJ Hickson continues to get better as he had a big night and big double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Also: According to John Krolik, Delonte West was unavailable, Mo Williams was in foul trouble, and Daniel Gibson was out with a baby. Yeah, didn’t quite catch that without watching the game. Now you know.

In a Knicks win against Detroit, Bill Walker got his first start and scored 22 points on 13 field goal attempts. Yeah, he should continue to turn some heads as long as he gets time and stays healthy. After a few rocky performances, McGrady put in 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. If only he could have a night like this even every second game. David Lee continues to be a beast for New York, scoring 21 points and pulling down 18 rebounds while dishing eight assists. He also had three steals and a block, too. Add in 26 points for Al Harrington and the Pistons and their lack of D didn’t stand a chance.

In a Celtics 104-80 victory over the Bobcats, this stood out: Boston was 10-for-16 from the 3-point line while the Bobcats were 0-for-9. Yikes.

In a blowout, 100-87 loss to the Bucks, Shaun Livingston scored his first two points as a Washington Wizard. I can only hope there are many more NBA points scored for SL and he can score them for any franchise, as long as he’s suiting up to do it.

My man James Herbert aka @outsidethenba on Twitter informs me that the Rockets had prepared a highlight pack for Carl Landry as the Kings were in town. Wish I had been able to see that. If you did, let me know about it, below, thanks! In Houston, the Kings pulled off the 84-81 victory. They also pulled down 24 offensive rebounds and attempted 23 more field goal attempts because of them. Crazy. What’s crazy good was Landry hitting the “game-sealing” free throws in his old home arena and finishing with 22 points and 10 boards.

Meanwhile, the Mavs keep rolling and took down the TWolves, winning their ninth straight. Surprised? Not surprised? I kinda thought it would take the new guys a little longer to slide into the offense, but they’ve proven me wrong. I don’t like being wrong, but I do like good basketball. I’m enjoying the new look Mavs.

I didn’t watch much basketball last night. The Raptors were out of town, my plan was to settle in from the cold and catch up on some teams I haven’t gotten to watch as closely as I’d like, but it didn’t happen. It didn’t happen and I’m quite alright with that.

It didn’t happen because yesterday morning, my mother called and told me that my uncle had passed away, ending his battle with cancer. My brain was a little bit scattered for the remainder of the day (I called Reggie Evans “Reggie Miller” in a piece), and I had about six convos with my mom before the night was through, just because I felt the need to talk to her.

Toronto to Nova Scotia always seems farther when you are feeling helpless.

The day also made me realize how much this game (and this site/magazine), has given to me in terms of people. Support. Friends. And also, friends who have become family.

Because this happened while I was in work mode at a coffeeshop writing, the people who were “around me” were fellow writers who were Tweeting, G-Chatting and emailing. They were the ones who heard the news, made sure I was cool and then checked in as the day went on. Or, stayed up way late, talking with me about books and ball, music and other things, keeping me distracted.

It hit me that while I’ve only hung out with some of these people in person once or twice, through our love of basketball and our respective jobs, these beautiful, amazing people get me more than some of the people I’ve known for years.

They understand that I stay in on Fridays and Saturdays to watch basketball because I just know the basketball Gods will punish me if I go out instead and that they reward me by allowing Kobe Bryant to hit ridiculous buzzer beaters while most of the world is out. They get that it is freaking news when Roko Ukic is waived and goes overseas to play and that it makes me happy to see our cover boy Brandon Jennings Tweeting to him. They know that Michael Beasley in a fro makes me smile and that digging up footage of the 1997 rookie game is only a quick Google search away.

They’ll discuss the ins and outs of this Gilbert Arenas/Javaris Crittenton mess with me, even though we really don’t know much of anything for sure, they’ll listen to me wax poetic about Omri Casspi and they’ll talk about the second, third, fourth and fifth options on the Blazers (not that they’ve got fourth and fifth options when they have about six guys dressing on any given night). Of course, they will also share everything they know about former Blazer and current Raptor, Jarrett Jack.

They share photos of their family, well wishes on holidays (and not just mass “Happy New Year,” “Merry Christmas” texts, either), lament over being sick during vacation when we’re supposed to be living it up since we spend every other night in. They pass along contacts, agent names, writing tips, feedback and encouragement and more of their time than I could express here. They email transcribed audio that didn’t make their story because they know I want to hear it and remember when Stephen Jackson is coming through town.

When Shaun Livingston is let go, they hit me up because they know he is my guy.

What’s more, they’re no longer just limited to the basketball portion of my life.

Somewhere along the way, the line between ball and reality got blurred because for us, ball IS life. Truly.

And now, we talk about family and friends. Hopes and dreams, in addition to Hoop Dreams.

Real life involving real losses. “Real talk” stuff.

These people make the so-called “drawbacks” of this job –crazy lifestyle, complete lack of a social life and these ridiculous hours– worth it a million times over.

As do each and every one of you all, with respect to this column. Even when I’m not commenting, I’m here reading and appreciating. Thank you for every comment, email, Twitter message, facebook inbox message, etc. For the support, suggestions and shared basketball love. On game days, it usually isn’t until late afternoon in between shootaround and game time that I get to check out your thoughts, long after everyone has moved on to the next column, but I’m here. Always.

Yes, even if someone’s gonna get pissed at me today for not talking about the Blazers losing to the Clips or the Hawks falling to the Heat. I love it all.

Thanks for being a part of my basketball journey and for making me who I am today, who I was trying to be yesterday and who I hope to become tomorrow. When I went home for Christmas and people asked about work, I realized that work is everything I’ve dreamed of and more than I had imagined. Basketball began giving me happiness many years ago, but for an only child from a single-parent household from a teeny town in Nova Scotia, it’s also given me an extended family that’s lovelier and zanier than any I could have dreamed up.

With every piece of a heart that’s feeling just a little heavy today, I thank you for being part of that.

You all have my sincerest thoughts. I just don’t know what to say in a time like this. I felt like this with Greg Oden, now Joel Przybilla goes down and is out indefinitely with a ruptured patella tendon and a dislocated patella in his right knee.

There really are no words.

How one team can be dealt injuries like this so close together, I know, we will say it’s part of the game, but wow. Nate McMillan’s response said it all: Hands on his head, face halfway between cringing and smiling because this can’t be life. Only it is.

Aghh. Sucks. Isn’t any other way to put it. Stay strong, Blazers nation.

While we’re talking about things that didn’t make us happy, Shaun Livingston. You all know how much I love this guy, because many of you love him just as much. Growing up on SLAM, seeing the then 15 year old SL in the mag when I was 15, yeah, I thought I’d get to cover him as his career unfolded. Hasn’t quite turned out like that yet and the Thunder waived him last night as they brought in Eric Maynor from Utah.

Now. This does just suck. Livingston went through this last season and bounced around a bit before being picked up by Oklahoma City. I still believe he will get picked up again. I just hope it’s sooner than later. If there is one guy who has worked so very hard to get back and play the game that he loves, it’s Shaun. Add in the fact that he’s one of the nicest, most humble people you will ever meet — we’re talking people, not just professional athletes– and I just want to see it work out for him.

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m home in Nova Scotia and my mother doesn’t have League Pass. I have Broadband, but can’t lie, I didn’t really watch much bball last night. I saw the Lakers/Thunder and some of the Knicks/Bulls (a game I was convinced the Bulls would win, taking their anger out on the Knicks from the night before, but nope… I was wrong), but the majority of my night was spent with my mother.

The Lakers did not look good through most of the first half last night. Kobe looked great, until he went down funny and gave me a heart attack. From looking terrified and not okay, to hearing the MVP chants as he hit free throws down the stretch, the Lakers executed when they needed to, but damn, a Russ Westbrook three rattled in and out before the LA crowd could breathe easily. 21 points, seven rebounds and 13 assists for Westbrook in the loss. KD had 30 before fouling out late.

Kobe watch: 40 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals. Five more turnovers, but he made up for it. Another 40 point night. Another W.

About the NBATV coverageL I’m loving McHale and C-Webb on the panel. Thought it was funny when Webb was talking about the Thunder at the end of the game, not having a timeout.

I also enjoyed Gil Arenas dropping in 31 points and eight assists as he led the Wizards over the Sixers in Washington last night. He looks more like himself out there. He looks comfortable. Of course it was going to take time. I think a lot of people thought he’d just BE the player that he was two years ago. That’s a long time to be away from the game on a nightly basis and even more than the physical rhythm and conditioning, it’s the mental game that needs to return. Knowing when to attack and trusting yourself to do it. Getting that feel for the situation, the extra instinct that a lot of players may never have. Gil’s getting there.

I’m thankful.

I mentioned this yesterday, but I still cannot believe that Lou Williams is back from a broken jaw. That’s just wild.

That’s really all I’ve got for today.

Oh, wait. 33 points and 18 reobunds from Zach Randolph in a Memphis victory over the Warriors. He is really, really doing it big in Memphis, hey?

And…. Carl Landry ties his career-high with 27 points in his first game back since having his dental surgery and fixing his teeth. Hope he was flashing his smile after that game. He deserved to.

And….. He’s back. The Sixers still lost, but damn, didn’t it feel right seeing Allen I. back in Philly? I hate to speak in cliches, but Philadelphia did look like a team inspired, at least through the first three quarters. Sam Dalembert was awesome in the first half, blocking five shots and being all over the floor, defensively. Andre Iguodala made sure to remind Philly there is more than one “AI” in town and he was fantastic, scoring 31 points in the loss.

In his debut, Iverson finished with 11 points, five rebounds, six assists, one turnover and one assist. He played 37:34 minutes.

Did anyone else sort of cringe when Eddie Jordan was interviewed pregame and said that he wouldn’t be the one taking Allen out of the game, that he would leave it up to Allen to tell him when he was tired or needed a break? Love the gesture, but I’m just saying, don’t give someone more room than you’re willing to allow them to keep.

In the victory for the Nuggets, Chauncey was the story. It was a rough night for Melo, shooting just 5-for-21 from the floor and finishing with 14 points, less than half of his league-leading 30.4 points per game. Chauncey stepped it up for his teammate, getting to the hoop time and time again, scoring 31 points on just 13 field goal attempts to go with eight rebounds and eight assists as the Sixers fell apart to start the fourth quarter.

While I wanted a Philly win for Allen’s re-debut, I’m just happy he’s back. Those seconds he spent kissing the court were so special to me and they’ll remained etched in my basketball mind.

Now, about this Utah/San Antonio game. When I flipped to it, the Jazz appeared to have everything under control in the fourth. Before I knew it, San Antonio came back and we had a great finish. Except for the part when the Spurs went to Matt Bonner down the stretch. Okay, I get it. He had 28 points and the hot hand. Bonner’s game is not driving to the hoop, yet that is exactly what the final play of the game for the Spurs was.

It left me with a frown, trying to figure it out. Deron Williams, though, his jumpshot to give the Jazz the lead with 22 seconds on the clock, that was awesome.

Starting out slow, the Oklahoma City Thunder used a third quarter burst where they outscored Golden State 29-18 to pull ahead and pull out the victory on their home floor last night. While KD had a rough first half before finishing with 28 points and nine boards, rookie James Harden had a huge night, scoring 26 points while shooting 13-for-14 from the free throw line. He also added nine rebounds, five assists and two steals without a turnover. He was solid off of the boost.

Corey Maggette was ejected from the game in the third quarter for arguing a call with the officials and from there, the shorthanded Warriors were unable to get anything going. While Monta Ellis scored 31 points, he also turned the ball over nine times. Devean George made a five-minute cameo in the game for the Warriors, according to the boxscore. I think that was his first bit of burn this season. Made me do a bit of a double check, since I don’t remember seeing him out there.

For me, second highlight of the night after Allen was getting to watch Shaun Livingston back in action for the Thunder. He didn’t score in his 17 minutes of action but he grabbed seven boards as the Thunder crushed Golden State on the boards, 57-37.

Don’t look now, but the New York Knicks are winning. Okay, they’ve strung three games together, but still. Wins. Three of them in a row. Last night, it was against the Portland Trail Blazers, taking them down 93-84. You have to feel for Portland. Without Greg Oden, they were also without coach Nate McMillan, both sidelined as they underwent surgery. Still, the Blazers fought as they always do, before succumbing to an NYC team that once again kept Nate Robinson on the bench.

Before you finish your lunch break or whenever you get a few minutes, check my boys from The Basketball Jones. Simply fantastic.

The 6th Man: Predictions can be a dangerous thing. Bad enough if you’re wrong-Darko Milicic, anyone?-but sometimes even worse if you’re right. Take last year, for instance. In our 2003 Finals predictions, a few of us (including yours truly) correctly divined that the San Antonio Spurs would finish as NBA champions. So when this year’s picks came due, a feeling of supreme confidence settled. I wasn’t so much picking the Lakers as I was confirming the inevitable. I half-expected Gary Payton and Karl Malone to be presented with their rings the second the issue hit the stands. As I type this, the Lakers are down 2-1 to the San Antonio Spurs-whom none of us picked to win it all this year (thanks in part to inconvenient deadlines and a poorly timed late season flat spot). Maybe we should just leave the predictions alone…

Which leads us to the cover. Yep, that’s six high school ballers on there. Is this the end of the world? Has the purity of the game been forever sullied? Will the NCAA want us dead? I believe the answers to those questions are No, No, and Probably. But I supposed the biggest question is this: Are we presuming that these six teenagers are the future of basketball as we know it?

And that’s where it gets tricky. Even if the five who were expected to enter the Draft go in the Lottery, that doesn’t really give a clear picture of their future, except at the bank. Remember Nikoloz Tskitishvili? Or, uh, Darko? The Draft isn’t really about sure things anymore, if it ever was. And besides, this isn’t for what these six players are going to do, as much as for what they’ve already done. They’ve built on the foundation laid by those who went before them-Kevin, Kobe, Tracy, LeBron-and made high school a thoroughly viable road to the League. They’ve made their own decisions, based on tehtir own intuition and experiences, gone from exception to rule. Is this good or bad? Depends who you ask and who you are. Predictions? Hell, no. We’ve learned our lesson (for now). All we can do is wish them the best of luck.

Peace,

Russ Bengtson

PS: Covers like this don’t just create themselves. along with photographer Clay Patrick McBride, creative director Melissa Brennan and senior editor Ryan Jones (for making the concept the reality), big thanks go out to our man Rivers at Reebok, Molly and Jeff at Golin/Harris and Aaron at Burrell.

Oh Thursday, with the many games of Wednesday to recap. Seriously, could someone tell me how to make this cold die? It’s not even a cold, just eyes that water, a cough that only arrives at night (when I do most of my work, naturally) and a constant headache above my eyes. Gah. I actually left my keys in my mailbox and then IN the door to my apartment when I went to the grocery store yesterday, how’s that for foolish?

I’m excited for the Nuggets/Lakers game tonight.

NBATV was airing a special on Shaq last night and it hit me that he was only 24 when he made the jump to the Lakers. At the time, he seemed so much older (probably because I was so much younger… 11, I think?), but he was still a baby. Crazy to think he’s been in the L since ’92. Where has the time gone?!

Happy moment of the night: Hearing the ESPN guys praise Jose Juan Barea. JJB was killing it as the Mavs took down the Jazz with ease, 130-101. 130 points for the Mavs was impressive, especially the 18 from Barea (on 8 shots and accompanying 9 assists), and the 21 from Jason Terry. They are a fun tandem to have coming off of the bench. Dirk had 31 and Josh Howard had 13 points, 8 rebounds and 7 steals. Deron Williams had 18 points and 12 assists Andrei Kirilenko added 17.

There was another 130-101 game last night in the L as the Pacers took down Toronto in Indy. Indiana shot 54% from the floor while Toronto managed only 38% and that was the ballgame. 14 and 11 for TJ Ford who got the W against his former team. Jarrett Jack added 23 points and Danny Granger had 29. The Raps had 21 points and 9 rebounds from Chris Bosh and 16 points from Patrick O’Bryant. I kid you not. You know the season is over when.

21/6/7 for LeBron James as he helped the Cavs take care of business against the Wizards, 98-86 after leading 26-13 at the end of one. Nick Young had 16 for the Wizards. In case you missed it, check out the remake of the Nike Freestyle video from the Wiz.

The Blazers took down the Spurs, 95-83 behond 26 points from Brandon Roy while Tony Parker had 17 and 7 and Roger Mason added 18 for the Spurs who struggled to put points on the board without their star off of the bench. Tim Duncan scored just 4 points in 23 minutes for San Antonio.

The Celtics held on for the 106-104 victory over the Nets, 106-104. Vince Carter threatened the Celtic’s win by cutting a 106-99 lead down to two in the final minute by hitting a three, getting a steal and then nailing a jumper with 50 seconds remaining. While Boston would not score again, NJ didn’t either and the Celtics were victorious. Rajon Rondo finished with 31 points 9 rebounds and 5 assists on 10-15 fgs. Vince finished with 33 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists for the Nets.

Detroit killed NY 113-86. Russ fed me stories of Sheed’s amazingness all night. Rip didn’t get kicked out. That’s about all you need to know from this one. Oh, Dyess had 16 boards to go with 13 points. Fountain of youth, indeed.

30 points for Joe Johnson as the Hawks took down the Bucks, 113-105. Al Horford had 19 and 9 and Mike Bibby added 22 points and 8 assists. The Bucks were led by Keith Bogans with 22 points and 19 from Richard Jefferson.

The Suns played spoiler against the Hornets, hanging on to take the 105-100 victory. Steve Nash had 23 points and 13 assists Jason Richardson and Shaquille O’Neal added 17 points apiece with 10 rebounds for Shaq as well. The Hornets received 29 points, 16 assists, 7 rebounds from Chris Paul. David West had 29 points and 12 rebounds and Peja Stojakovic added 18 in the loss where the Suns attempted 33 free throw to the Hornets 12.

Carmelo Anthony had 31 points Nene had 23 and 10 and Chauncey Billups added 18 as the Nuggets held on to the two spot in the West by taking down the Thunder 122-112. Kevin Durant scored 31 for the Thunder and Jeff Green added 24.

Okay, enough from me for tonight. I feel like I’ve aged 20 years and suddenly need 6 hours of sleep a night. Yikes!

THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS: Shaun Livingston getting signed to a two-year deal with the Thunder. I just typed Hornets in there, think it’s because I’m watching the Kings/Hornets. Also cried at Vlade’s halftime ceremony. That stuff KILLS me. I love that they scheduled it with the Hornets in town so that Peja would be there.

So, yes. Livingston is on an NBA squad. I’m loving that all over town. You couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face yesterday. I know all of you SLAM people feel the same way and share my hopes for Shaun, that he gets a chance to live his dream.

Scot Pollard opened his speech by saying, “Vlade-Daad-e, he likes to party” Pollard’s pretty great. Chris Webber needs to be a public speaker or run for office or something where I can watch him and zone in. He’s an amazing speaker.

Funny story: After Z scored his 10,000th point, Delonte West was unaware of the milestone and kicked the game ball into the stands after the game. This kills me. Classic Delonte.

Sheed got called for his 16th technical last night for jawing with an official. He will now be suspended a game. Not good for the Pistons as they fight to remain in the 7th spot. It was fun seeing Sheed scream “That ball don’t lie” after Mo Williams missed the tech free throw, though.

I’d like Gerald Wallace on my team. That man is amazing.

Also, cool to see MJ on the sidelines cheering for his team. That has to feel good when you come to the bench and Jordan is on his feet. Fun watching him watch Kobe, too.

BETCATS, this is for you: Charlotte Bobcats took down the Lakers last night, 94-84. Second straight loss for the Lakers, and Charlotte looked good. Raja Bell forced Kobe into 28 shots for his 25 points, Pau did his best with 16/11/7 and Lamar added 20. Gerald Wallace was a beast with 21 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 blocked shots. Boris Diaw had 11 points and 12 assists and Raymond Felton added 16.

With the Bulls 107-105 loss to the Pacers, the Bobcats are only one game out of the eighth spot in the East. TJ Ford hit a jumper at the buzzer to give the Pacers the victory. The loss was the Bulls second straight road loss in a close game. Danny Granger had 31 points to lead the Pacers while Ford had 22 and 9 assists off of the bench. Derrick Rose had 25 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists for Chicago as Kirk Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas each added 20 in the loss.

Hawks fell to the Sixers, 98-85. Josh Smith had 33 for ATL in the loss and Flip Murray added 19 off of the bench. Andre Miller had 18 points and 10 asssts, Andre Igoudala scored 19 and Marreese Speights added 16 off of the bench.

Detroit held a lead for most of the first half against the Cavs in Cleveland, but Bron and Co. came roaring back as the Pistons scored only 29 points in the entire second half of the game to fall, 79-73. Bron had 25 points and 12 rebounds while Delonte West scored 12. The Pistons had 13 points from Rip Hamilton and 9 points/9 boards from Sheed.

Dallas took down Minny by 20, 108-88. Suns are now done like dinner. Dirk had 23 points and 12 rebounds… And so did Kevin Love. Love also had 3 assists.

On the same day that OKC adds SLAM-favorite Shaun Livingston to their roster (and had him sitting on the bench), the Thunder grabbed a huge victory over the Spurs, 96-95 when Michael Finley missed a jumper at the buzzer only seconds after hitting a three to keep the Spurs in it. Kevin Durant had 31 points, Russell Westbrook scored 16 to go with 10 assists and Jeff Green scored 16 as well. The Spurs were led by Tim Duncan’s 21 points and 12 boards as Manu Ginobili added 17.

The Nuggets held on for the 111-104 victory over the Knicks after giving up a 27-point lead. D’Antoni played only seven guys and they gave the Nuggets a run for their money. Nate Robinson scored 30 for the Knicks off of the bench as Al Harrington scored 23 and David Lee had 19 points and 12 boards. The Nugg’s were led by Melo’s 29 points while Nene had 18 points and 12 boards and JR Smith added 17 off of the bench.

On the night of Vlade’s jersey retiring, the Kings pushed the Hornets to the limit… And then the Hornets woke up. After Francisco Garcia scored on consecutive trips down the floor to tie the game at 108, he then blocked a layup attempt by Chris Paul and Beno Udrih hit a layup with 1.7 seconds remaining. While the Kings thought they were safe and had delivered a victory with Valde and the other former Kings in attendence, Peja got the last laugh as Rasual Butler hit a beaty three at the buzzer. David West scored 40 on the night to go with 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Chris Paul had 15 points 15 assists and 8 rebounds and Butler added 18. Andres Nocioni had 23 for the Kings while Garcia added 19 and Kevin Martin scored 20.

Protland killed the Jazz 125-104. BRoy had 25 and 11. Pryzbilla and Boozer and Sloan were all ejected. I didn’t see any of this game. Feel free to fill me in.

Trying to avert one of sports’ all-time worst injuries isn’t easy, but Livingston is making progress. He’ll be in uniform for the Thunder’s remaining nine games: “The Oklahoma City Thunder announced Tuesday that it has signed point guard Shaun Livingston, the former No. 4 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, to a multiyear contract.”

I’ve got a busy one today, the Heat are in town. I’ll be welcoming Moon and JO back to town while checking out the rest of the squad for the second time this season. Looking forward to seeing how Beasley has improved from a few months ago. I can’t lie though, I’m sad that there will be no Shaun Livingston in the locker room. You all know how much love I have for that guy.

I’ve got to take this off of the NBA track for a moment and give a HUGE shout out to my boy, Christian TBear Upshaw. The sickest point guard I know, the brother I never had, my family for life and also the newly awarded MVP of the AUS. I’ll be keeping tabs on the your game tonight via Twitter and I’m so ridiculously proud of you!

The games were pretty good last night, considering they both ended up being blowouts. I enjoyed having a change of pace from the Lakers or Celtics for a Thursday.

Chris Paul. There are no words. Besides, amazing, unreal, beauty in motion, awe-inspiring… You get the picture. He was a joy to watch last night.

And then in his postgame interview saying he was happy to have T.C. back? He may as well have said, “Don’t you eff with my guys again, front office.” Six in a row since the trade was rescinded and I can see them continuing to roll.

During the Nuggets game, Andersen preening his “feathers” after blocking Rudy might have looked good, but he sure looked silly when LaMarcus Aldridge came back and dunked on him.

That’s what he gets for taunting. Just ask Kobe how the Cassell-dance worked out for him. Be gracious.

Although, speaking of tauniting. JR Smith is sort of exempt from this category.

JR with the taunting foul after a putback dunk. Of course. Classic JR.

As Russ said, in the final minutes of a blowout, if he shoots a three, it’s just the only thing he knows to do. He plays on instinct and talent and not much else.

Melo’s sprint to the bench was some funny stuff. I like that he dealt with it and chose to move past it and make light of it. Karl appeared to enjoy it as well.

Man, I can’t lie. I’m so excited about the AUS playoff games tonight. What I’d give to be in Nova Scotia right now.

New Orleans 108 Dallas 88

With a dribble behind the back he was off, dancing towards the basket, threatening to score on another layup before going up into the air and dropping off the pass for a trailing James Posey. That wasn’t Chris Paul’s prettiest play of the night, though. That one was an unbelievable full-speed dribble between Jason Terry’s legs, without missing a beat to dish off a pass to Rasual Butler who finished with an easy dunk. Paul was the star in this one, finishing with a game-high 27 points to go with 15 assists as he led the Hornets on a 15-3 run that put them up twelve. While the Mavs went into the fourth down eight, when Chris Paul left the game with 3:59 remaining, the Hornets were up 20, 98-78 as they won their sixth straight game since Tyson Chandler returned from the rescinded trade. Besides Paul’swizardry, David West had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Tyson Chandler added 10 points and 11 rebounds and Rasual Butler added 18. The Mavs had 27 points from Dirk Nowitzki, 13 from Jason Kidd and 10 from Jason Terry.

Denver 106 Portland 90

Coming into this game off of back-to-back last second win against the Pacers, the Blazers were unable to match the pace of the Nuggets. After allowing them to bust out to a 32-18 lead after the first quarter, coming back in the third wasn’t enough as they ran out of gas in the final period, and Denver took advantage. Coming back from a one-game team suspension, Carmelo Anthony scored 38 points for the Nuggets and had them up 15, 85-70 when he came out of the game with 10:55 remaining in the foruth. Unlike last time, when he refused to leave the game at the resquest of Coach Karl, earning him the suspension, he turned, and sprinted to the bench, sitting down to his teammates and coach getting a smile over his joke. With the Nuggets shooting 52% for the game, there was plenty to smile about as they took the 106-90 victory and maintained sole ownership of first place in the Northwest division. Besides Melo’s night, the Nuggets got 17 points from JR Smith, 16 from Nene and 15 from Linas Kleiza. The Trailblazers were led by 20 points from Brandon Roy, 19 from LaMarcus Aldridge and 15 off of the bench from Travis Outlaw.

As a high schooler standing alone on the court, Shaun Livingston was poised to be special. Despite his thin-as-a-toothpick build, the kid was taller than any other point guards around and could do everything better than they could. Just when it seemed like he was really starting to feel comfortable in the NBA and as a member of the upstart Clips, Livingston suffered one of the most gruesome knee injuries in recent memory. After much time and rehab, the Illinois product inked a deal with the Heat with resurgence on his mind. Today, his comeback journey brings him to Memphis, where Livingston is joining a deep contingent of young and promising point guards. — Adam Fleischer

According to an official press release, the Heat traded Shaun Livingston and cash considerations to the Grizzles for a 2012 conditional second round draft pick. Rumor has it the Heat hope to bring back Alonzo Mourning at some point this season.